Wow, it’s been awhile. My lack of posts over the last few months is puzzling even to me. I suppose it’s a consequence of the pandemic. During the lockdown, I found myself lacking motivation as I struggled to find a new routine for my days. I never intended to stop writing and blogging. It just sort of happened. But since being vaccinated, I’m feeling more energized and hopeful. Do you feel it too? I do hope we’ll all back to a pleasant routine soon. In any event, I do love talking about sewing and fabric and our lovely community of sewists. So, onward!
It’s no secret that I love to sew with Liberty Cotton Lawn. Over the years, I’ve purchased more than a few yards of their pretty prints. Because I love them so, I never toss out any of the lovely little bits at the end of a project. As you can imagine, over the years I’ve accumulated quite a stash of Liberty remnants! What to do…? Sew from my stash, of course.
At first, I was intimidating by my mountain of remnants. But when I tossed a few favorites onto my cutting table, I saw a trend….the color theme was dominated by blue and gray. Yes, my color choices tend to be somewhat boring at times, but the good news is the prints in my stash naturally work together.
My first attempt was an Grainline Archer using three liberty prints.
I played around with ideas for awhile, but ended up using one dark remnant for the cuffs, the front button placket and the collar, another for the front and back yoke. An added benefit of using a darker print for the button placket is that the white buttons really pop against the navy. The Liberty print I used for the bodice is called Thorpe, a classic print that comes in many different colors.
For my second attempt, I used a pattern that’s new this year, the Harriet Blouse, a pattern designed by Mijke of @sewitcurly. This pattern has so many details that make it perfect for pattern mixing! It has lovely curved yokes, deep cuffs and a rounded collar. I used two Liberty prints for this one.
I was impressed by how well drafted this pattern is! With regard to fit, I didn’t have to make any adjustments, but just cut my usual size. I modified the style a bit. Instead of long sleeves, I shortened them to three quarter and self drafted a small cuff. Because I plan on wearing this when the weather is warm, shorter sleeves were a better choice for me. I do love the puffy sleeves on this one!
It was such fun to play with these prints. I used to think that florals as a wardrobe choice was limiting, but I find these timeless classic prints look good with everything. I can’t wait to try a bit of mixing and matching on another project!
Happy sewing and thanks for stopping by.
